The presidents of Turk-menistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Iraq joined hands with President Ahmadi-nejad in Tehran. The deputy prime minister of Turkey also attended as well as the foreign minister of Azer-baijan.
The new year summit was to celebrate the fact the UN General Assembly recognized Now Ruz as an international event several weeks ago.
Iran also issued a postage stamp to commemorate the UN action.
Ahmadi-nejad described Now Ruz as an “inseparable part of our common culture.”
While Iraq as a whole does not mark Now Ruz, its Kurdish population does and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani is a Kurd. He said, “We are celebrating Now Ruz together today and promoting the Now Ruz banner as one of justice, freedom, equality and fraternity among all countries.”
Turkey also does not mark Now Ruz as a state, but its large Kurdish minority celebrates it. After years of suppressing Kurdish Now Ruz celebrations, the Turkish government is now trying to be more open.
The international commemoration took place March 27, one week after the actual Now Ruz.
Ahmadi-nejad said he hoped to make the gathering an annual one.
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon suggested that next year the presidents meet at Persepolis, as the most appropriate for marking the holiday. Ahmadi-nejad did not respond to that suggestion.
The presidents all met with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenehi who was ecstatic in his support for the holiday. Two weeks ago, Khamenehi condemned the fire-jumping of Chahar Shambeh Souri, which kicks off the long Now Ruz celebration, and urged Iranians to abandon fire-jumping. That prompted many reports saying Khamenehi opposed the entire holiday, which is grounded in Zoroastrian traditions.
But Khamenehi made clear Saturday that that was not so. He termed Now Ruz as carrying sublime values. He said that in the modern world culture usually flows from the West to the East, but the UN recognition of Now Ruz now gives Eastern nations the opportunity export their culture to the West.
Khamenehi said, “This is a national festival. It is not a religious occasion, but it has been endorsed by our religious leaders.”
